I Know
by furrballnerd
Summary: Kirito figures out Yuuki's secret before their duel. He has the duel anyway, no intention of winning. Non-romantic. One-shot. Enjoy and tell me what you think


**So I know that this is really late. I wanted to do this story within the week the episode came out, but I couldn't bring myself to get it done. Finally, though, I did. Go ahead and bitch about me ignoring my other stories, but I needed this personally, so get over it. Sorry if I sound rough, but,,, well. Just read it.**

**OH YEA I DONT OWN SAO OR ANYTHING**

_And that's twenty-nine,_ I mused, watching a ragged looking spear user fall face first into the dirt, draining the last of his HP. I made sure to stand in the back and not draw any attention. _ I don't want to fight her… not yet. I want to see… what was it that made her this strong?_ I continued my second consecutive day of watching the tournaments with the legendary Zekken. As of yet, no one had gotten close to defeating her. My own sister, a kendo champion on her way to the professionals, got her to the yellow before getting caught out and killed.

Looking up, this one being an aerial battle, I saw a small girl with a hood and duel daggers fighting her extremely close, trying to use her blades' versatilities to her advantage. _…She doesn't stand a chance._

I continued to study the Imp. Her smiling face, her enjoyment of the fight… _Enjoyment of the fight…_

Her skill was unrivaled by anyone here, possibly even myself. But how is that possible…? I would know if a SAO player came out with that kind of skill… They would have been invaluable to the front lines, but no such person existed. Even if a SAO player took a new profile like I did, it wouldn't account for it. I would have recognized their fight style.

With a fit of giggling, I watched the purple-haired girl sidestep a fatal stab and finish the girl off by cleaving her head off. Flipping her locks back, she landed and again called out for challengers. Few people were left that hadn't already lost. Still she stood there, smile wide on her face, dance in her eyes.

_Enjoyment of the battle… fulfilling? Completion? _My mind burned for a word that described the way the girl fought, laughed, and played this game.

_Played this game… more like… !_

_She was Living the fight, She was Living the game. She was Living in the virtual world. But after SAO,,, that shouldn't be possible. _

I speculated this thought track as she took on another contender, no one worth mentioning. _They wouldn't last long with her mentality… with her experience…_

_Experience… Has she been in this world longer than I had…? _I mused over this possibility as I watched the match. _Longer than I. _I mused._ Well I had forced for two years by an evil game. What other reason would someone be stuck for that long… no, longer?_

The current fighter flew through the air, clashed with her, and promptly flew backwards. This forced me to sidestep as they created a crater with their impact, leaving a simple flame in its wake.

_Well people have used VR technology to go through rehab, helping them get their fix without actual supply. But that would be temporary… This… this would have to be permanent._

The contenders were running thin as the purple haired girl floated down to the ground triumphantly.

_Permanent… She can't leave the virtual world for the same reason… She needs it… Needs it…?_

"Anyone left?"

_Needs it… to survive? No. Needs it like an addict? To hold off…?_

"Is that really it for today? Awww… There were like, 10 more yesterday."

_To hold off the… pain. _I concluded, knowing about the circuits cutting off the nerves from rest of the body to the brain. Eyes wide, I felt my chest tighten and lose my breath. _She's… dying._

"WAIT!" I called out. The imp turned to greet me, shocked by the horrified expression on my face. I coughed out a calmer façade. "Wait, I, would like to…" I stopped my words.

"You want to fight? Okay!" She seemed to perk up realizing she had another challenge, well, maybe they weren't challenges for her at all.

_No. I don't want to fight…_ But I nodded. "Flying, if you don't mind."

"Got it." She took off and floated about ten meters high.

With a tight hand, I rose to meet her, barely able to look at her face. Instead I focused on her sword and then the duel notification that appeared in front of me.

First Strike Mode?

Half Loss Mode?

Total Loss Mode?

Unable to even look at the final option, my fingers drifted towards First Strike Mode and confirmed it. Zekken, no, Yuuki, as it said in the challenge window, looked at me baffled. _I guess first strike isn't very common. She probably thinks I want to do some cheap hit technique to win. _I looked at my sword which hung limply by my leg, listening to the timer tick down. _Well… I guess this'll surprise her even more._

5

Deep inhale

4

Deep exhale

4

Deep inhale

3

Deep exhale

2

Raise my sword to a fight stance

1

Position myself to take off quickly

0

*BAM* I took off, flying towards the girl in wait, a smile on her lips.

Steel met steel and we went quickly into a battle of strength. Eventually I pushed her back before charging again, attempting to do the same thing. She looked at me confused, trying to figure out my tactic. From my moves it didn't even look like I was trying to win. _Well… I'm not._

Again I shoved her back, harder and farther than before, the echo of the crowd becoming fainter. *Deep inhale. Deep Exhale*

I charged as fast as possible, remembering my races with my sister, and shoved the blunt of my blade against her. 'What are you doing?' her eyes beckoned. I couldn't answer. I used my wings to continue to press against the girl as I forced her back many more meters. Finally, I rose up and kicked off from the air at an angle, crashing into her with a single swing, forcing her to take the brunt of the impact, without taking actual damage, and rocketed back towards the ground. Another crater was created, but I could see her standing firmly, barely even breaking a sweat.

Watching me from a distance, expecting an advance that didn't come, she lowered her sword and stared at me puzzled. _No… I can't… _I felt them coming. I couldn't, not yet.

*Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Charge* I flew forwards, feeling It on my face. My opponent simply braced herself, seeming to come up with a counter-attack now. Not that she would need it. The wind surged past my body, the ground rushed towards me as I dove. The crowd behind us quite a distance away, surely confused as to what happened. The beautiful and composed girl in front of me confident in her stance; my hand empty as I dropped my sword at the end of my assault, the whole of her blade piercing through my body with an uncomfortable sensation, my arms wrapped fiercely around her.

"Wha… What are you doing!?" She yelled, probably confused at my throwing the match and the unexpected and non-consented touching.

"I swear, you creep, if you don't…" The harassment window popped up and she reached for it in desperation.

"I know what you are…" I whispered into her pointed ear. Her hand froze, hovering above the button.

Finally, It came out. My legs gave out as I crumbled against the girl much stronger than myself as silent tears poured from my face. The sword dropped from my body as she stood there stiff and motionless.

"I'm so sorry…" I whimpered, ending up on my knees, dragging her with me. From a distance this looked like an intimate moment between two lovers. _Up close though…_

"I…I…" She sputtered, apparently speechless at my figuring out her secret. Finally her arms reached up around me and pulled me closer, our chins hanging over each other's shoulders.

*Sniff*

She was crying now too. I'd say I felt bad about doing that to her, but I didn't feel it. Inside, I know I needed to do this. Even if she was a complete stranger, even if I never saw her again, even if she wasn't alone and had a group of friends and family surrounding her, I knew I had to do this.

"I'm sorry…" I repeated, feeling my tears dematerialize halfway down my face.

Burying her face into my neck, I could feel the dampness before it disappeared. She shook her head in protest against me, her whole body shuddering in my embrace. "It's okay..."

"I don't know you…But I will always be here for you." Her grip tightened at my words, flinching almost.

She quickly relaxed back into me and nodded.

"Thank you."


End file.
